Low cost automated manufacture of high specific power photovoltaic solar arrays for space

Integration techniques for space solar arrays have evolved only incrementally since the 1970´s due to the strong affinity for heritage processes. Construction of the photovoltaic assembly (PVA - i.e. the `solar blanket´ comprising solar cells, interconnects, coverglass, i.e. “CIC´s”, and laydown adhesive on to the structural substrate) has changed little, using custom labor intensive processes that are fundamentally unreliable and expensive. The need for very large next generation (~300 kW) solar arrays to convert energy for solar electric propulsion magnifies the inadequacies in cost and repeatability of these manual processes. We describe the development of innovative solutions to automating the assemblies of PVA´s for space and demonstrated their implementation using Coplanar Front Contact (CFC) solar cells and conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment.